It expanded his role on the team and he's clearly not a good player. Increased role means it will be tougher to scratch him

I'm not a fan of Salvador's play or Lou re-signing him to the contract he did. But if we are just looking strictly on who should or shouldn't be captain - I don't think we have any way of forming a solid opinion from the outside. Obviously DeBoer and the other people in the dressing room think he's a fine leader. I know it's fun to debate as fans but in the end I'll always support whomever the coaching staff designates as captain.

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RIP Pat Burns -- RIP Alexander Vasyunov and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Winner of the 2008 Sergei Brylin Award for Most Underrated Poster
Co-Winner of the 2011 Scott Bertoli Award for Best Minor League Poster, Winner of the 2012 Scott Bertoli Award

too soon to give him the captain spot on the team... He has way too many years left on this team.. Once they give it to him theyre not going to take it away

This is silly. Scott Stevens was made Captain in 1992. Less than a year after he joined the Devils and less than a year after he initially refused to come here. He remained Captain til his retirement 13 years later. Heck, look at other organizations. Colorado named Landeskog Captain his 2nd year in the league.

Kovalchuk has been Captain of literally every team he's been a member of. His junior teams. His National team. Atlanta. He's clearly the best player on this team and may end up being the best forward this team has ever had.

I have no problems with Salvador as Captain. It's clear the guys like and respect him, but the fact remains that besides last year's playoffs, he's not even our best at his position.

I have no problems with Salvador as Captain. It's clear the guys like and respect him, but the fact remains that besides last year's playoffs, he's not even our best at his position.

Again, you don't base your selection of captain as who has the most talent. It's s leadership and diplomat role. You select the rookies or young guys when you are hanging culture, lack veterans or have an exceptional young leader.

This is silly. Scott Stevens was made Captain in 1992. Less than a year after he joined the Devils and less than a year after he initially refused to come here. He remained Captain til his retirement 13 years later. Heck, look at other organizations. Colorado named Landeskog Captain his 2nd year in the league.

Kovalchuk has been Captain of literally every team he's been a member of. His junior teams. His National team. Atlanta. He's clearly the best player on this team and may end up being the best forward this team has ever had.

I have no problems with Salvador as Captain. It's clear the guys like and respect him, but the fact remains that besides last year's playoffs, he's not even our best at his position.

In terms of offensive ability/talent, I think Kovy is a better player than Patty, but Elias' intangibles in other aspects of the game are better than Ilya. That's not a knock against Patty either. The only reason he won't catch Elias is b/c he's already 30 and spent 5 years on another team.

Kovalchuk has been Captain of literally every team he's been a member of. His junior teams. His National team. Atlanta. He's clearly the best player on this team and may end up being the best forward this team has ever had.

Your getting very carried away. Kovy is probably the most talented, but he is NOT the best player. Elias has the best combination of talent and hockey smarts that you need to win. I doubt very much if Kovy will ever be considered the best forward the team has ever had. He will be lumped with guys like Pat Verbeek, and Kirk Muller as guys who scored, but never was part of a cup winning team.

Edited by MantaRay, 17 May 2013 - 01:33 PM.

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I was wrong to ever doubt the powers of Lou Lamoriello.
IN LOU WE TRUST @Manta04

Your getting very carried away. Kovy is probably the most talented, but he is NOT the best player. Elias has the best combination of talent and hockey smarts that you need to win. I doubt very much if Kovy will ever be considered the best forward the team has ever had. He will be lumped with guys like Pat Verbeek, and Kirk Muller as guys who scored, but never was part of a cup winning team.

Talk about carried away. This is one of the most egregious underestimations Ive ever read. You're seriously comparing Kovalchuk with Verbeek and Muller? Neither of them made it to the Finals with the Devils. Kovy already has. Did you see how we shat the bed w/out him this season? Who led the team in points during the run last year? I don't think Kovy will ever be the most "beloved", but in terms of sheer offensive talent, its an argument that can be made and the book hasnt even been finished yet. Its also no argument that Elias played with some of the best teams we've ever had w/ Stevens/Nieds/Marty in his prime/Almo and the rest of those guys from about 99-04 and Kovalchuk certainly did not have that.

I'm not getting carried away. Elias is arguably my favorite player of all time besides #4, but his skill set is different from Kovalchuk's. Elias brings things to the table that Kovy doesn't and vice versa. We still have 12 years left of Kovalchuk to see what his legacy will be here.

Talk about carried away. This is one of the most egregious underestimations Ive ever read. You're seriously comparing Kovalchuk with Verbeek and Muller? Neither of them made it to the Finals with the Devils. Kovy already has. Did you see how we shat the bed w/out him this season? Who led the team in points during the run last year? I don't think Kovy will ever be the most "beloved", but in terms of sheer offensive talent, its an argument that can be made and the book hasnt even been finished yet. Its also no argument that Elias played with some of the best teams we've ever had w/ Stevens/Nieds/Marty in his prime/Almo and the rest of those guys from about 99-04 and Kovalchuk certainly did not have that.

I'm not getting carried away. Elias is arguably my favorite player of all time besides #4, but his skill set is different from Kovalchuk's. Elias brings things to the table that Kovy doesn't and vice versa. We still have 12 years left of Kovalchuk to see what his legacy will be here.

My point was they scored goals, in bunches like Kovy. That is how he will be remembered. No argument about his talent and he is a good team guy. But, last year, was complete stunner and all the planets aligned to get us to the Finals (Salvador?? Gionta??), but I think that was a false reading of what is left on this team.

I see the Devils dependence on Kovy hurting them in the long run. He is starting to show signs of breaking down and I don't think he is going to last 12 years. I would be amazed if he ever plays a complete season in NJ in the next few years.

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I was wrong to ever doubt the powers of Lou Lamoriello.
IN LOU WE TRUST @Manta04

I think Nieds was the most talented. Mogilny was very close to Kovy in forward talent too. This is nothing against Kovy, just that the Devs have had some very talented / gifted players. They are just underrated.

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"I feel privileged to have played on three Stanley Cup teams and finally help the New Jersey Devils get the respect they deserve." Scott Stevens

"I knew in my heart that one day we would turn it around and we'd do something special here," Ken Daneyko

I think Nieds was the most talented. Mogilny was very close to Kovy in forward talent too. This is nothing against Kovy, just that the Devs have had some very talented / gifted players. They are just underrated.

I dont think anyone touches Marty in this discussion, but I'd put Nieds and Stevens very close. I agree about Almo, he had a lot of miles on him already when he arrived here though.

Devils definently put way too much on kovys shoulders for sure... Man get injured and they lose ten straight games with out him... Come on thats insane.. If we don't find someone else to take some of the load off of him i think he will definently burn him out in the long run.. He plays a sh!t ton of minutes every night .. The man needs some help on that bench.